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STATE STREET. 






& Mm. 






BY THE AUTHOR OF 






"HARD KNOCKS, OR WHO IS FIRST?" " AGNES FARRIDAY,'' 

"THE LEARNED WORLD," " THE CANNONADE," 

ETC., ETC. 






T 






PUBLISHED BY 






A. W. LOVERINQ, 






No. 204 Washington Street. 

• 






STATE STREET. 



^ Mixe. 



BY THE AUTHOR OF 

HARD KNOCKS, OK WHO IS FIRST?" " AGNES FARRIDAY,'* 
"THE LEARNED WORLD," " THE CANNONADE," 
ETC., ETC. 




V OF 






CO 



PUBLISHED BY 

W. LOVERINO, 

No. 204 Washington Street. 






Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, 

By Wm. Adoli'hus Clark, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



Stereotyped at the Boston Stereotype Foundry, 
J'J Spring Lane. 



NEGLECTED CHILDREN OE GENIUS 

(of whom there are too many by far), 

WHO, DEDICATED TO TRUTH AND INDEPENDENT LIVING, 

SCORN THE PALTRY CONVENTIONALISMS OF LIFE, 

AND ARE MARTYRS TO THEIR INDIVIDUALITY, 

WHICH NEITHER THE POWER, INSOLENCE, 

AND HEARTLESSNESS OF WEALTH 

CAN BEND NOR CONQUER, 



STATE STREET. 



When" Justice, heavenly Maid! was young, 
While yet in early Greece she sung, 
The Passions oft, to hear her law, 
Would throng around her open door; 
Exulting, trembling, raging, fainting, 
Possest beyond the Muse's painting; 
While "Modern Athens," yet untouched 
By love of riches overmuch, 
Was noted for its lofty tone, 
And manners which might grace a throne ! 

5 



6 STATE STREET. 

There were but few who dared to be 
Without, O Decency ! some thought of thee. 

The Passions then, to Justice given, 
Lived in the trust and fear of Heaven ! 
And gathered round their holy Court, 
Where rights were neither sold nor bought; 
While yet unused to greed of gain, 
And deviltry that 's mean and vain ; 
When women loved to nurse their young, 
And from their way all nonsense flung; 
When birth had something then to do 
With that grave question — " Who are you ? " 
When " Come by chances " stepped aside 
Before the claims of family pride — 
That healthy love of blood which flows 



STATE STKEET. 

In veins the base and mean oppose ; 
"When men would live as men should live 
Who not in Self alone believe ; 
When laws were honored and obeyed ; 
And Justice wooed the injured maid, 
Who now is left too oft to go 
Cursed by her life, its bitter woe ! 
When gentlemen were held to be, 
O, fallen Manners ! prized by thee ; 
When well-dressed louts were made to see 
That Shoddy's not gentility; 
That dress and riches could not gain 
For such respect from cultured brain ! 
Which laughs within its sleeve to know 
How vulgar upstarts come to woe — 
The woe of conscious weakness, where 



8 STATE STREET. 

Only strength may do and dare — 

Strength which not alone delights 

In all its own agreeable rights, 

But Justice loves for its dear sake, 

Would of its feast have all partake ; — 

These minds — they are where blood will tell, 

Rejoicing in what 's only well ! 

While lives made up of selfish sham, 

Plebeian cheek, and coat of Ham, 

With purses filled with filthy wealth, 

To nobler thoughts the very death ! 

Who do and say but for a name, 

To ventilate e'en more their shame ; 

Thus advertising their bad breed, 

Their nasty and plebeian seed ; 



Whereas the noble, well-born mind 



STATE STREET. 

In others as in self will find 

Something to value and to save 

From withering in a living grave ! — 

While "cheeky upstarts" prance about 

As gentleman, when but a lout, 

Not fit to carry to a bear 

His foul intestines, or his hair — 

While all this is, perhaps, to last, 

To curse the future as the past, 

Well may we sigh for other days, 

When Trade and Manners challenged praise; 

When gathered round the cause of Right, 

A better heart for sterner fight : 

Those days of slower pace, when prayer 

Was something more than pious air; 

When pilgrim shrewdness was no crime, 



10 STATE STREET. 

Its name revered in every clime ! 
Ere yet contempt was well expressed 
By crying " Yankee ! " in distress. 
That state of mind which one is in 
When suffering from the bite of sin, 
Man's law don't punish in the least — 
Who "skins" the most 'twill mostly feast! 
This "Athens," which has grown so fast, 
Whose wealth and populace are vast; 
This city by the sea, where man 
Will " do " his brother when he can, 
Clean him straight out while he will drink 
With him the holy wine, nor wink, 
And eat the holy bread, and sigh 
For those who droop from evil nigh! 
This "Athens" of the western world, 



STATE STREET. 11 

This astute critic hard to hold — 
What changes have attended thee 
Since thou wast new and dear to me, 
Since, in ray boyhood, I would play 
About thy streets and inner bay, 
Which time has filled with foreign dirt, 
Where dandies walk, and soft maids flirt. 
Thou "Athens," once fenced in by worth 
Not made of any sort of earth, 
I go at thee, to stick my pen 
Into thy pride, thy women, men; 
E'en to thy heart I'll drive it home, 
If from the deed a good may come. 
Conceited, vain, and over-wise, 
Thy many faults thou shouldst despise. 
Behold your women — wives, or maids, 



12 STATE STEEET. 

"Up to the devil" in their ways. 

If on the street, or wheresoe'er, 

Wanton their dress, and bold their air. 

What they are doing, or would do, 

"To raise the wind, and get things new," 

Ah, who can say but husbands sad, 

And lovers who have gone stark mad : 

They loved and were deceived ; " too slow " 

Were they — their money did not flow; 

Their lady-loves had charms to win 

" Good-looking fellows who had tin ; " 

So "went for them," and laughed to see 

Those left go mad in misery. 

O precious darlings! so well dressed, 

By Beauty's every feature blessed, 

What harm is done when you cast off 



STATE STREET. 

Some honest lover with a scoff, 
With whom to live would cost you thought 
Of him, on income somewhat short ! 
What harm is done to blast a thing 
Which docs to you so little bring? 
Then live the life of well-dressed sin 
With some " dear fellow for his tin : " 
Married, or mistress, 'tis the same ! 
You can't escape the curse of shame. 
The hate — which once was love — will be 
A hissing serpent e'er to thee ! 
And when at death thou mayst recall 
The heartlessness wmich caused Love's fall, 
That crime shall curse thee with a howl, 
And hand to thee a nauseous bowl 
Of seething passions, full of stench, 



14 STATE STREET. 

Wherein is writ, "For thee, vile wench! 
Drink, deeply drink of that thine own, 
Until the poison all is down ; 
A fitting nectar for the hell 
Where only such as thou dost dwell! 
Then hence — away, you dirty hag, 
A tattered, loathsome, human rag!" 
Thus will the passion of that bowl 
Thy fearful doom forever howl. 

O, blessed is God, who so will damn 
Things heartless with their coats of Ham ! 
Of arms speak not with else than Hog, 
Fit symbol of their native bog. 
Would that another flood might rise 
To sweep away those thus despised, 



STATE STREET. 15 

That generous natures might enjoy 

The right to live without annoy — 

The right to act without a fear 

Of ambushed crime, whence flows the tear. 

Should such a flood, perchance, obtain, 
Oh. what of State Street would remain ! 
God in his mercy spared from fire 
This nest of sin, of self-desire ! 
Long-suffering, patient is the Lord, 
Unto these fellows, to accord, 
A respite from their doom one hour, 
Whose acts defy and scorn His power ! 
Those acts by which the weak are made 
To lose their blood by shaves in trade; 
Tabooed the Banks, they must obtain 



16 STATE STREET. 

At two and three per cent, of gain 
Per month; paid Shylocks, who supply 
The needs of such with greedy eye. 
The Banks are run by those who play 
Each unto each through every day. 
There are who get what they desire, 
All full of consequence and fire, 
Paying but moderate for a loan, 
While others for it sweat and groan. 
What these may make by honest toil 
They pay away as State Street spoil ! 
They see grow fat who suck their blood, 
Too often called "the wise and good." 
But State Street cannot be to such 
A place where love is fostered much ; 
They go there always "to be skun," 



STATE STREET. 17 

Forever, ever " to be done ! " 
And slain too oft by "silken Jacks," 
Who carry murder in their acts, 
Dealing it out to any one 
Whose needs oblige them to be "done." 
From early life I've studied here, 
Where skinning 's done without a fear; 
The innocent I've seen cleaned out, 
Scarce e'er they turned to look about! 
Not cleaner is the tooth of hound 
Than were these fellows' pockets found, 
Who marvelled at the wits so keen, 
And straightway at their tricks were seen: 
Apt, very apt were they to learn, 
To take advantage in their turn. 
2 



18 STATE STREET. 

Thus there is bred a set of thieves, 
Whose arts the uninformed deceives ; 
They lie in wait with kindest air — 
One never thinks them mean, unfair. 
"They'll talk up stocks not worth a d — n," 
While knowing they are all a sham! 
And get good money for the same, 
Without the slightest sense of shame. 
Who can be gulled will grow so poor, 
They'll State Street curse, for evermore. 
Bankers and brokers — nearly all 
Upon this street, within its call, 
Will doom whoever gives them leave 
To utter ruin ! and believe 
The wine they drink, the bread they eat, 
As Christ's Communion, is more sweet 



STATE STREET. 19 

To them, whose sordid love of gain 

Completes the measure of their fame. 

I know them well — who knows them not ? 

To whom has fallen the painful lot 

"To raise the wind" just where they are, 

To come within their loving care. 

To fall into a hole of snakes, 
'Mong briery and bewildering brakes, 
Should be preferred to asking aid 
Where daily 's done so foul a trade. 
Some here there are, who, like a Bolles, 
To manly ways and honor holds ; 
Whom kindly feeling often guides, 
Whose business is but fair emprise; 
Who deal, though sharply, yet most true, 



20 STATE STREET. 

Who'll not embrace, then murder you! 
Careful they hold what they possess, 
Would not dig pitfalls to distress; 
Yet, if one wants their money, they 
Will make him roundly for it pay ; 
But will not lead him to invest 
In anything not deemed the best. 
They may be trusted when they state 
What they believe should gain create ; 
But beat to quarters on a trade, 
They'll try and cast him in the shade ! 
If he 's not keen to hold his own, 
And bear with equal pressure down. 
This is a warfare of the. wit, 
For which they practise to be fit; 
Its points of honor well are ta'en, 



STATE STREET. 21 

It limits much the grab of gain! 

State Street is graced by such who play 

Fairly to win a business sway; 

No spot of earth can show more pride, 

Well founded in a record tried 

Of business honor, manly heart, 

Than some who here enact their part 

Do justly feel — for they delight 

In nothing not expressly right. 

Yet, sharks abound, and reptiles, too, 

They ever are in daily view; 

All uninformed are "taken in," 

And kindly lightened of their " tin." 

So goes that life in stocks and sham, 
Where coats of arms is but a Ham ; 



22 STATE STREET. 

Hog plainly marks the action here 

Straight through the gleanings of the year. 

If one at times a feeling kind 

Observes within a shaver's mind, 

It glimmers but to fade away, 

When he can't make his dealings pay. 

I've many here seen break their necks ; 

Others to big things rise from specks ; 

While working hard, as best they knew, 

To lift themselves high into view ; — 

Bar-tenders into bankers run; 

As counter-jumpers some begun ; 

And God knows only what were they 

Who figure foremost there to-day. 

Whence come? from what? and how they sprung? 

If from good stock, or from mere dung? 



STATE STREET. 23 

Though questions not of stern finance, 
Yet I this way would take a glance. 
I like to know about the seed 
From which we vegetation breed ; 
I like to know about a man, 
To sift him finely when I can. 
But who the mongrels on this street, 
As "shaving suckers" we oft meet, 
May be, 'tis hard indeed to tell ; 
But sure it is from grace they fell. 
Their dealings this, beyond a doubt, 
So sickening fact has pointed out. 
Without a conscience — all within 
Is blasting, burning, seething sin ! 
They never speak but to mislead, 
They never act, unless to bleed; 



24 STATE STREET. 

To drain the pockets of the weak, 
Whose wants compel them such to seek. 

O God ! how canst thou spare the wretch 

Who'll crush whome'er his tricks may catch; 

How canst thou let him live, to sway 

As Lord of Finance every day ! 

On State Street thou must look with ire, 

Where mainly reigns a self-desire ; 

Where men will gather but to see 

How they too oft can sorrow Thee ! 

Why shouldst thou not clean up the place, 

Wipe out all those not of thy grace — 

That cheating, irreligious chaff — 

Those guilty things who at Thee laugh? 

Then may thy Gospel there be law, 



STATE STREET. 25 

That moderate means may find some door 

To enter by, where it will be 

From imposition ever free ! 

Nor lose the life-blood from its heart, 

Through Christians in the Devil's part. 

Who has not felt, when on this street, 

As sharp they look at those they meet, 

That 'twould not do to ask a thing 

Of many there, which would not bring 

More to their pockets than is kind, 

Or worthy of a noble mind ! 

Who has not felt that all he saw 

Was but a satire on the law — 

A running fight, where sneaks would bleed, 

Their betters who had come to need ; 



Where fellows handling cash would claim 



26 STATE STREET. 

To lord it o'er a genius famed? 

Ah, State Street ! why, when thou couldst do 

So much to bless forever you — 

Why wilt thou cling to sordid ways 

Which Heaven nor Truth can ever praise? 

How happier would thy trimmers be, 

If generous hearts they gave to thee ! 

We have no lease of life — this day 

May see your best drop quick away; 

What service, then, is all their gain ? 

And who will thank them for the same? 

Whate'er they leave behind may go, 

Instead of bliss, to foster woe ! 

While, had they generous been in life, 

Done good a plenty, willed less strife, 

They would have seen with their own eyes 



STATE STREET. 

Happy hearts their bounty prize ! 
But, living in the pride of greed, 
To their own selfish passions feed, 
They die as dieth e'en the dog, 
By avaricious lust befogged : 
Habit is, when fixed, a force 
'Tis hard diverting from its course. 

O State Street! I would have thee rise, 
Thy base transactions to despise ; 
I'd man to man have just and true, 
And Virtue find a friend in you ! 
If this can never be, may God 
Well smite thee with his potent rod, 
And all thy shavers bring to grief, 
Make obsolete the State Street thief. 



28 STATE STKEET. 

" When Justice, heavenly Maid ! was young, 
While yet in early Greece she sung, 
The Passions oft, to hear her law, 
Thronged around her open door; 
Exulting, trembling, raging, fainting, 
Possest beyond the Muse's painting. 
O Justice ! sphere-descended maid, 
The friend of Truth, and Wisdom's aid, 
Why, goddess ! why, to us denied, 
Layst thou thy ancient worth aside? 
Where is thy native simple heart 
Devote to Virtue, Fancy, Art? 
Arise, as in that elder time, 
Warm, energetic, chaste, sublime! 
Thy wonders in that godlike age 
Fill thy recording history's page. 



STATE STREET. 29 

'Tis said — and I believe the tale — 
Thy humblest word could more prevail, 
Had more of strength, diviner rage, 
Than all which charms this sordid age ! 
O, bid our vain endeavors cease, 
Revive the early days of Greece ! " 



FINIS. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

pun 

016 211 706 T f 



